Our Terrible No Good Really Bad Weekend....

Let me preface this by saying that we do love going to Colorado and we really loved visiting Phill's and my parents this weekend. However, the circumstances that we found ourselves in were not very fun.

So we left on Wednesday to go to Colorado and arrived around 5:30 p.m. I helped my Mom make six pies and we made sure everything was ready to go for the next day. We had a great Thanksgiving playing games and eating lots. Everyday we were there we ate until we were seriously sick. It was good. Friday we went and saw the new James Bond in the theaters (which I thought was good, Phill didn't like it too much). Also, my mom and I woke up at 5:30 a.m. and went shopping. We went to Burlington Coat Factory where they were having sales on pea coats and JCPenney's for my Mom. We then came home and took a nap for two hours and went out shopping again after most of the crowds had died down. We weren't really in the market for big ticket items this year just small cheap deals on games and movies. It was fun though. Phill was doing homework most of the weekend (he has finals this week, we will be fasting for passing grades, if you want to join us feel free...jk). Saturday was really chill and we went out to celebrate Phill's, my brother's and my dad's birthays at Texas Roadhouse. Again, we were stuffed literally till we could not eat anymore.

I probably should state that when we woke up on Saturday morning the ground was covered in white stuff that was cold and wet. Oh well, no bother. Until Sunday morning, when we woke up early and were rearing to go.....that's when the real fun started.

So Sunday morning we wake up and get everything ready, when we have a thought we should probably check the road conditions before we decide which way to go. We turn on the computer and try to call the road conditions and find out they are both swamped above the limit. We then turn on the news and find out that a serious snow storm has hit not only I-70 but also I-80. Both Interstates had been closed for a few hours due to adverse conditions, low visibility, ice-packed roads and many accidents. Allright, so what do we do? Phill has finals week and a person (who shall not be named for his own security) wants to drive a vehicle that his parents have given him back to Utah with him. Now this person is not a very experienced driver, so driving in blizzard-like conditions over icy, mountain passes is a no-go.

So we decide not to go...but then we find out that this other person that we are driving with has two tests and reviews the next day that he "has" to make. Sheesh! Allright, so now we have to figure out what is a way to drive around the storm that is beating the crap out of Colorado. So Phill suggests that we may be able to beat the storm if we go down south and through the southern part across Colorado, then we could stay with his parents and start early the next day. (Utah's roads were fine...go figure.) Okay...and I insist that this person who is not an experienced driver to leave the car until a later date because we will be going through some very curvy passes and they may be just as bad.

So we start off and within a matter of miles we are stuck in horrible weather with all of the other people that are trying to "avoid" the storm. Well, we found out the hard way that there is no way of avoiding the storm in Colorado, just postponing the misery. We should have stayed home in Utah, or we should have stayed in Colorado an extra day. Oh well, hind sight is always 20/20. So we are stuck on an interstate going through Colorado going 5 mph on icy, windy, snowpacked roads. So in one of the many times that we were completely stopped at a stand still, the person that was riding with us, needs to go to the bathroom. Let me lay out the scene for you the interstate is packed both ways (north and south) and we are in the right hand land next to the barier. So he hops out and is facing the barrier dividing and tries to go to the bathroom! Well, needless to say he couldn't go and had stage fright. Okay so we keep driving on, then later he says he really has to go. So Phill trying to be nice tries to pull over into a Weigh Station so that the other guy can go to the bathroom. Well after driving a few feet we realize that this weigh station is not open and the road has not been plowed or even used for a little while. So the guy hops out and runs down a hill to do his business while Phill and I are like "oh no" because we are not sure that we are going to be able to get out. The guy hops back in and luckily does not have to go anymore. Phill pulls some McGyver moves and after one friendly driver lets us back into the interstate (at the risk and peril of sliding off the road himself), we are back on our way.

For a little while, we were stuck right in the middle of the storm. It took us 3 hours to go a distance of 45 miles. Okay but we got out of that part of the storm and were able to make up some time on a dry road heading down south. So then we eventually start heading west after a distance that was supposed to take 2.5 hours that has now taken almost 6. So we take the supposed exit that is going to take us west the way we would like to go and soon find ourselves lost. Conveniently next to a low-security prison, it looks like. Phill and I start getting a little testy with one another, as I was supposed to be the navigator. (as most of you know many key essential qualities of a navigator would be keen eyesight to detect hidden signs, good sense of direction, knowing your left from right…none of which I have). Okay, so apparently I am not a good navigator and we are lost. And I am a little confused because it seems like we are supposed to be going the other way….finally we get turned around and realize that we missed a hidden sign in with all of the other little signs telling us which direction we should go. So we start heading the right direction and again find ourselves in the thick of the storm.

It would seem to many of you that we probably chose the worst route possible, and you are correct in thinking this. We are very experienced blizzard chasers by occupation…So here is where I start freaking out. We are going through a fairly hilly terrain and the snow and ice on the road are pretty slick. We have seen at least three accidents since we started going west, one of which was pretty bad. A car had slid off of the road and tumbled down the hilly side of an embankment to land about 50 feet off the side of the road. The reason I am freaking out is because on the atlas, there are no lines indicating any mountain elevations. In fact, there are not even any topographical lines. This area is supposed to be fairly flat and even compared to the huge dangerous mountain ranges that are coming to the west. I really thought to myself that we are going to get in an accident and freeze to death and we haven’t even hit the mountains yet. (I do have a knack for the theatrical don’t you think). By some miracle we find ourselves out of the storm and seeing some sunshine. All of you should also know that Phill is an excellent driver….he took it slow and steady and we made it out of the storm alive.

After being in a car for almost eleven hours and just about dying of hysterics we make it to Monticello (after a few more bathroom stops of course for the guest).

On a positive note, we had a great time at Phill’s parents house. They have this clean, relaxing atmosphere that is very comforting and soothing especially after a long day on the road. We were able to eat some good dinner and play some games.

Well we wake up early the next morning and get going on the road and about twenty minutes outside of Green River, UT, a guy shouts to us that we have a flat tire. Oh boy! Could this get any worse? Oh wait, it could because we still have not been pulled by a cop yet….haha. Phill pulls the car over and yep we do have a flat. We are on a tight schedule because our guest has a review session that he would like to make at 11 o’clock and up until that point we were going to make it with plenty of time to spare. The only problem is that we start trying to change the tire and find out that we do not have the little star wrench that prevents people from stealing your rims in this car (the unfortunate downside to having two of the same car…sometimes you share and don’t put back). Upon finding this out, Phill starts mouthing a good line of “almost swearing”. That is where you say the swear word under your breath though most people can still hear the first letter and then hazard a guess at what the word would be. The good thing is that the tire is not completely flat it is only going flat. So Phill thinks that we may be able to make it to Green River and he could try and fix it there. Luckily we make it to Green River and pull up to the first gas station that does not have air….oh great….so we continue into the wonderful city of Green River and finally find some air. By some miraculous luck or power, this gas station has free air (fresh out of quarters) and is right next to a tire repair shop. Phill is able to use some of the tools and air from the shop and fix out tire. Yeah!!!!!

We drop off our guest and finally find ourselves at home. This has definitely been a very stressful trip. We came home and took naps, ate some good food and finally relaxed. I guess it was nice to miss an extra day of work…but I wouldn’t recommend driving through a snow storm and having a flat tire on a day off. I wish I could say I was thankful for snow…but right now I really can’t do that….I know that many of you will post comments about how you wish there was snow and that you miss it. However, it is my belief that there is a time and place for snow. During the month of December during Christmas celebrations and not in large quantities I assure you. I little sprinkling here and there will surely suffice. Oh well, I will probably change my mind in a few weeks. Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and we are so lucky to have such wonderful family and friends! Happy Thanksgiving!